Problems at Readly

[Derek Smith]

Readly is an online magazine/newspaper subscription service. I've been a subscriber for a few years and I pay monthly as, in theory, I could cancel on a month-by-month basis. They've recently sold out to a French company, Cafeyn. I've lost functionality and the new system limits useability. I decided to cancel pending them sorting it out. On going to the unsubscribe page, I was informed they can't be bothered with doing so for the next few days. I went back after a 'few days' only to read the same thing. No apparent other methods of contact.



I've got in touch with the card company to cancel my subscription but I was a couple of days late.

Angry doesn't really cut it.

Lots online and social media about it, with suggestions that it is against EU regs.

[craig1912]

Yep the new app is rubbish. I’ve emailed and asked what they are doing about it but likely to cancel.

I also can’t cancel as it goes through to apple subscriptions but I don’t have an apple one for Readly

[casbar]

Same, raised a case with Readly about the rubbish app. Had a reply, they are looking at the issues. If you look at the app reviews on the apple apps, there are a lot of upset users.

[tim0409]

I cancelled last week. It s a complete mess. Thankfully I do all my subscriptions through Paypal recurring payments, which makes it easy to cancel when the company makes it difficult (Readly removed the ability to cancel temporarily when they introduced the new app).

I used to share the app with my wife, but the latest update has removed this functionality from the base subscription, so you have to pay more for the family tier. Combined with app, it’s just no longer worth it.

Edited by tim0409 on Wednesday 22 April 12:53

[Countdown]

Agree about the new app being crap.

I've no idea why they felt the need to change it - the old one was fine.

[Mazinbrum]

I’ve just installed the new app, first impression is it’s only slightly worse than the old app?

[carl_w]

Countdown said:

Agree about the new app being crap.

I've no idea why they felt the need to change it - the old one was fine.

Ensttification I guess?

[lauda]

Yeah, the new app is utter dogst. You think companies would learn from mistakes like the one Sonos made a few years ago and make sure that their 'updates' really are improvements.

That said, I won't be cancelling as I read a ton of stuff on Readly and I can't be bothered to access/pay for it all individually. I just hope they sort it out soon.

[lonny]

Yep, new app is very poor. It’s no better than the free libby app from the local council so I’ll be cancelling before next renewal - fortunately I use PayPal to pay so can cancel the recurring payment on there. I think I’ve been a subscriber for about 8 or 9 years.

[carl_w]

lonny said:

Yep, new app is very poor. It s no better than the free libby app from the local council .

It must be very poor then as the Libby app is ste *but* free.

[funinhounslow]

carl_w said:

lonny said:

Yep, new app is very poor. It s no better than the free libby app from the local council .

It must be very poor then as the Libby app is ste *but* free.

PressReader is far better, has a wide selection of magazines and newspapers and is also free with your library card.

[DoctorX]

funinhounslow said:

PressReader is far better, has a wide selection of magazines and newspapers and is also free with your library card.

The old Readly app was better than PressReader but not any more. They haven’t quite got all the magazines that Readly has but, as you say, it’s free so after 10 years I think I’ll unsubscribe.

[funinhounslow]

DoctorX said:

funinhounslow said:

PressReader is far better, has a wide selection of magazines and newspapers and is also free with your library card.

The old Readly app was better than PressReader but not any more. They haven t quite got all the magazines that Readly has but, as you say, it s free so after 10 years I think I ll unsubscribe.

Libby has a few magazines that PressReader doesn’t so I can forgive its irritating interface. Between the two there’s plenty to keep me occupied…

There’s also BorrowBox for books and audiobooks. And I still get “physical” books from my local library- it’s only polite and use ‘em or lose ‘em…

[craig1912]

Just cancelled as (thanks to the heads up) I found Borrowbox has most of what I want.

[clive_candy]

Can't find MCN on Borrowbox. Local library recently migrated to it from whatever the app was before. Much smaller choice of titles it seems.

[DoctorX]

clive_candy said:

Can't find MCN on Borrowbox. Local library recently migrated to it from whatever the app was before. Much smaller choice of titles it seems.

It’s on PressReader, just use that with your library card number?

[clive_candy]

DoctorX said:

clive_candy said:

Can't find MCN on Borrowbox. Local library recently migrated to it from whatever the app was before. Much smaller choice of titles it seems.

It s on PressReader, just use that with your library card number?

As far as I know, my library would have to subscribe to the app and I'd sign into it through my library account. It seems they subscribe only to Borrowbox.

[craig1912]

clive_candy said:

As far as I know, my library would have to subscribe to the app and I'd sign into it through my library account. It seems they subscribe only to Borrowbox.

Same here

[ajprice]

I've used Readly on and off before, but haven't used it recently. I'll get set up with a library card this week and set up with Libby and Pressreader. Looking around, I found this Reddit thread, there's also an app called Kanopy that signs in with a library card for films and documentaries.